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Straight Spartans in a curve

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Straight Spartans in a curve

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EAST LANSING – Free Press sportswriter Chris Solari rates Michigan State football on a scale of A to F after the Spartans lost 38-7 to No. 3 Ohio State on Saturday night.

Offense: C

Put this in perspective, as 190 of the Spartans' 246 yards and their only touchdown came on the first four drives. Yes, just 56 yards in the last 28 games. But the way quarterback Aidan Chiles moved MSU up and down the field against one of the best defenses in the country might be the most encouraging thing in its development so far. But the mistakes remain – an eighth interception this season due to a poor decision to force a screen and a near pick that was previously overturned, both thrown to the middle of the field under duress. He threw for 167 yards on 13-for-19 passing and a 12-yard touchdown to Jaron Glover, impressive considering his top target, Nick Marsh, only played one series while showcasing his game-changing talent . Chiles also fumbled in the red zone, although the play grabbed his facemask and twisted his head before the ball was released. There's also a caveat to MSU's offensive line — it beats two right guards, starts a true freshman and gives another rookie snaps at left tackle — which is still searching for consistency.

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Defense: C

MSU held Ohio State to a field goal on the game-opening drive, the first time since 2019 that the Spartans held the Buckeyes out of the end zone on their first drive. Linebacker Jordan Turner put together a monster game – nine tackles, one interception and two QB hurries. That was the extent of MSU's pressure on OSU's Will Howard, who went without a sack and got another rush from defensive end Anthony Jones. Howard threw for 244 yards and two TDs, and the Buckeyes ran for 185 yards and two more scores, an average of 5.3 yards per carry. Still, the Spartans continued to show the ability to win the ball and hit hard. The defensive backs were able to make plays on most occasions, but Ohio State University's talented receivers – Emeka Egbuka (seven catches, 96 yards) and freshman star Jeremiah Smith (five catches for 93 yards and a TD, plus another rushing) – made NFL-caliber plays about them.

Special Teams: C

There weren't many opportunities for Jonathan Kim, who scored his only extra point and provided two touchbacks on kickoffs. The kick return unit observed seven touchbacks and Montorie Foster Jr. signaled a fair catch on all three of Ohio State's punts. But punter Ryan Eckley, despite averaging 46.6 yards, picked a bad time to hit one of his worst balls of the season, a 27-yarder that put the Buckeyes near midfield late in the first half. They then scored a TD to make the deficit 24-7 at halftime.

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Coach: C

The injuries the Spartans have suffered through five games — along with a lack of depth due to inexperience and portal departures — have limited Jonathan Smith and his staff. But they managed to keep MSU fighting with a determination not seen since the Mark Dantonio era. The decision to go for a four-and-1 despite the failed score on the Spartans' first possession showed that Smith has a little Dan Campbell in him and that he wants that to be his team's DNA going forward. The staff corrected the penalties that were a problem in the first three games, although those have been replaced by points and turnover problems in the red zone over the last two weeks. However, as Smith said, all staff and players learn and grow as they progress, and this looks like a team that will give opponents as many fits as the mistakes give the Spartans and their coaches.

Contact Chris Solari: [email protected]. Follow him @chrissolari.

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